LEXINGTON, KY – As Californians swelter in daytime temperatures topping 100 degrees, they are being asked to turn off air conditioning and halt any unnecessary use of electricity. Kentucky Coal Association (KCA) officials say the myopic policies of California’s Governor Gavin Newsom are the reason the state’s electricity grid is being strained to the breaking point, and are a clear example of what will happen nationwide if we continue to shut down scalable baseload coal-fired power plants.
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) is asking for a second consecutive day of voluntary electricity conservation today, from 4 to 9 p.m., due to continuing extreme temperatures pushing up energy demand when the grid is most stressed from higher demand and less solar energy. During that time, consumers are urged to conserve power by setting thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits, avoiding use of major appliances, and turning off unnecessary lights. They should also avoid charging electric vehicles while the alert is in effect.
“The current problems in California are just the tip of the iceberg,” said KCA President Tucker Davis. “Look at what happened in Texas last winter. A grid based on solar and wind simply can’t meet demand in a reliable way. Californians are learning that the hard way and unfortunately the problems will only get worse and expand nationwide as the grid inches closer and closer to failure.”
“In the past 11 years, coal-fired electricity in the US has declined more than 30 percent – from a high of 318 GW of 2011 to less than 210 GW of capacity today,” Davis continued. “The result has been increasing stress on the grid because alternative energy sources can’t scale up production as needed. Coal and other fossil fuel sources can.”
Additional conservation calls could be issued through the Labor Day weekend as record-breaking triple-digit temperatures are forecast across much of California and the West. In what’s likely to be the most extensive heat wave so far in the West this year, temperatures in Northern California are expected to be 10-20 degrees warmer than normal through next Tuesday. In Southern California, temperatures are expected to be 10-18 degrees warmer than normal.
“Our nation needs to return to a focus on energy independence and a return to market-driven decision-making,” Davis said. “If we fail to heed the warnings from California and Texas, the end-result could prove to be disastrous.”
